Small houseboat hire fleet

Holidaying families, groups and corporate or club trips, plus repeat guests who return each year.

Nightly and weekly hire across the fleet, with peak and off-peak pricing, plus extras such as linen, catering packs, fuel and cleaning fees.

• Running bookings and a small team
• Boat maintenance or managing tradies who do it
• Customer service and clear safety briefings

• High upfront cost and loan repayments in low season
• Commercial vessel approvals, surveys and safety rules, which differ by state, so check with the relevant marine authority
• Workers compensation insurance once you hire staff, plus public liability and marine insurance for hire use
• Council and land manager approvals for your base, signage and moorings
• Weather, river levels and flood or drought affecting bookings
• Ongoing boat maintenance, which can be a large yearly cost

Startup costs are typically around $400,000 to $1,500,000, depending on how many boats you have, their age, your waterfront base and whether you buy an existing operator. Treat these as estimates and get professional advice.

Monthly revenue is typically around $15,000 to $60,000, depending on fleet size, season and bookings. Revenue is not profit, and loan repayments and boat maintenance can be large, especially in the low season.

Commercial vessel approvals, surveys and safety rules differ by state, so check with the relevant marine authority. Also check workers compensation once you hire staff, plus council and land manager approvals for your base, signage and moorings.